A much belated acknowledgement to Margaret Barrow of a clipping from the
Guardian, 4 November 1996, on the end of the Welsh dry sabbath.  From 1881 to
1961 all Welsh pubs were closed on Sunday.  Thereafter districts were allowed
to vote whether to be wet or dry in referendums held every seven years.  The
last dry district, Dwyfor in North Wales, opened its pubs on Sunday after a
referendum held when Dwyfor had been merged with a much larger wet area.
 
I should also acknowledge a communication from David Gutzke on the end of the
mid-afternoon period when (since the First World War) English pubs (and may I
take for granted, Welsh pubs) had to close their doors to the public.  Under
Thatcher this rule ended with the exception of Sunday afternoon.  Under Major
the sabbatarian mid-afternoon closing ended as well.
 
David Fahey (Miami) [log in to unmask]